Method and system for remote software updating of a medical device

Abstract

A system is provided comprising first, second, and third servers, a medical device, and a database storing a plurality of software updates for various medical devices. The second server stores software update history for medical devices located in a plurality of countries, and the third server is located in a country and stores software update history for medical devices located in that country. A request for a software update for a medical device is sent from the first server to the second server. The second server sends a command to the database, and the database sends the software update to the medical device. After an attempt has been made to install the software update in the medical device, the software update history for the medical device is automatically updated in the second and third servers.

1. For use with a system comprising a first server, a second server storing software update history for medical devices located in a plurality of countries, a third server located in a country and storing software update history for medical devices located in that country, and a database storing a plurality of software updates for various medical devices, a method for remote software updating of a medical device, the method comprising:
 (a) sending, from the first server to the second server, a request for a software update for the medical device; 
 (b) sending a command, from the second server to the database, to send the software update to the medical device; 
 (c) sending the software update from the database to the medical device; 
 (d) after an attempt has been made to install the software update in the medical device, sending a message regarding installation of the software update from the medical device to the database; and 
 (e) after receiving the message from the medical device, sending a message regarding installation of the software update from the database to the second server and remotely sending a message regarding installation of the software update from the second server to the third server to automatically update the software update history for the medical device in the second and third servers. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first server sends the second server a request for a software update for a group of medical devices, and wherein the second server identifies locations of medical devices that belong to the group of medical devices. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  further comprising sending, from the database to the second server, information regarding which medical devices are available for a remote software update. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  further comprising sending, from the second server to the first server, contingent information on those medical devices that are not available for a remote software update. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising sending, from the second server to the first server, contingent information regarding how those medical devices not available for a remote software update should be updated. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  further comprising accessing the second server with a computer comprising a web browser to obtain information on the installation. 
     
     
       7. A system for remote software updating of a medical device, the system comprising:
 a first server comprising a first storage medium; 
 a second server comprising a second storage medium storing software update history for medical devices located in a plurality of countries; 
 a third server located in a country, the third server comprising a third storage medium and storing software update history for medical devices located in that country; 
 a database comprising a fourth storage medium storing a plurality of software updates for various medical devices; and 
 a medical device comprising a fifth storage medium; 
 wherein the first server is operative to send a request to the second server for a software update for the medical device; 
 wherein the second server is operative to send a command to the database to send the software update to the medical device; 
 wherein the database is operative to send the software update to the medical device in response to the command; 
 wherein the medical device is operative to send a message regarding installation of the software update to the database after an attempt is made to install the software update in the medical device; 
 wherein after the database receives the message from the medical device, the database is operative to send a message regarding installation of the software update to the second server and is operative to remotely send a message regarding installation of the software update to the third server; and 
 wherein the second and third servers are operative to automatically update the software update history for the medical device after the second and third servers receive the messages, respectively, from the database. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the first server is operative to send the second server a request for a software update for a group of medical devices, and wherein the second server is further operative to identify locations of medical devices that belong to the group of medical devices. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the database is further operative to send, to the second server, information regarding which medical devices are available for a remote software update. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the second server is further operative to send, to the first server, contingent information on those medical devices that are not available for a remote software update. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the second server is further operative to send, to the first server, contingent information regarding how those medical devices not available for a remote software update should be updated. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 7  further comprising a computer comprising a web browser operative to access the second server to obtain information on the installations.